124.51/222
The Vice Consul at Paris (Taylor) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 20.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s instructions No. 1083 of May 26, No. 1094 of May 31, 1941,78 and subsequent concerning the closing of the Embassy at Paris and the establishment of the Consulate General at Paris as a separate office.
On June 10 the Embassy was formally closed. A sign in English, French and German was placed on the front gate which reads “The American Embassy is closed. The American Consulate General is at 3 rue Boissy d’Anglas.” The shield over the front door was covered by a piece of sheet metal which was painted to resemble the stone of the building. The front gate and front door were closed and locked. No changes were made at the Embassy residence which had been closed for some time. Special authority was obtained from the occupying authorities to permit Forrest Pfeiffer and his wife to remain as caretakers for the residence in addition to the fifteen American employees permitted to remain as staff of the Consulate General.
[Page 526]A consular seal was placed over the door of the entrance at 3 rue Boissy d’Anglas which became the main entrance and the Boissy d’Anglas entrance to the garage was placed in use.
The Consulate General opened for business on the morning of June 6, with the newly selected staff of fifteen in order to take care of public business and permit those who were leaving to finish pending work.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The telegram from Berlin of June 7, indicated that ten French employees would be allowed to remain on the Consulate staff. Ten were selected and their names sent to the Department for approval, but they were transferred and put to work in the new organization at once.…
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Respectfully yours,
- Neither printed.↩